[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Last Exile: first impressions
After who knows how long, I’ve finally been able to revisit Last Exile. Criticise Gonzo all you like but there’s no denying that they can kick out a real gem on occasion: this series is a case in point, combining Gonzo Digimation’s polished CGI visuals with characters and storylines that are truly outstanding.
I’ve heard LE described as ‘Miyazaki’s Laputa for the Final Fantasy generation’, which strikes me as a bit oversimplified but nevertheless captures the overall vibe of the show, at least initially. It also reminds me a little of Skies of Arcadia, an old game with similar aerial aesthetics; perhaps it’s the Miyazaki-esque airship designs which drew me into LE in the first place because they look downright awesome. The two warring states in Prester, the world of Last Exile, fight in the air using huge, lumbering airships with a policy of set-piece battles and chivalry that hark back to the Napoleonic Wars; in contrast the Sylvana, the renegade vessel of the piece, looks more like a twentieth century battleship - right from the first time I saw it I was utterly bowled over by the meticulous way in which this great piece of hardware is rendered.
Vidual shininess aside (Last Exile was a Gonzo 10th Anniversary piece, and boy does it show), the substance stands up well alongside the style. Below the aerial battlegrounds, the two heroes of the story are Claus and Lavie, a pair of teenagers who operate a flying courier service using their considerably smaller, more humble vanship. They’re something of the underdogs since their vanship, which was left to Claus by his late father, is a beaten up, clapped-out old contraption that has a hard time keeping up the other couriers but nevertheless Claus has an inborn love and skill for flying and the bond he and Lavie share makes them a great team. Lavie too is a great character: neither belonging to the meek moe or obnoxious tsundere archetypes, she’s the sensible voice of reason for the pair and the two of them are clearly childhood friends.
There are numerous details that link the Sylvana’s captain, Alex Row, with Claus’ father, not to mention the significance of Alvis Hamilton, the young girl our heroes rescue in the eyes of the all-seeing Guild who manipulate the conflict between Anatole and Dysis like a giant chess game. At the time of watching this for the first time, I wasn’t used to seeing TV anime in widescreen format but given the sweeping scope and epic feel to the whole piece, I think it was a wise decision that shows off the superb background art and airborne choreography. The music has a folk-tinged feel during the episodes but the opener, Cloud Age Symphony, kicks off with a digeridoo and bagpipes (no, really) before turning into a pulsating and dreamy piece of electronica; the closing track Over the Sky doesn’t grab you straightaway but is also really ethereal and atmospheric.
Summary
The first couple of volumes of Last Exile were some of my early DVD purchases and at the time was one of the hottest new UK releases too. Looking at how shabby the likes of Speed Grapher and Welcome to the NHK! have proved to be from a visual standpoint, the staggering beauty and sweeping ambition of this show are even clearer to me now. With such a spectacular worldview and interesting cast, I’m looking forward to seeing this through to the end.
Posted on July 8th, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
I really need to immerse myself in the world of Last Exile again; I still place it in my top ten even now.
I’d also recommend saving up for Gankutsuou if you haven’t already got it, it’s another rare gem from Gonzo.
Posted on July 8th, 2007 @ 11:53 pm
Last Exile may be the only GONZO anime I ever really liked, and it still currently sits at #2 on my personal favorite anime list. I think you’ve got a point there: there is a rather “Final Fantasy”-ish feel to it. Must be the airships and chocobos.
Posted on July 11th, 2007 @ 3:06 am
I’ve always wanted to watch this show but never really got around to doing it. I purchased a figure recently from the show and it reminded me of the show’s brilliant designs that I’ve seen. I’ve got to find time to see this show.
Posted on July 11th, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
@Karura: I’ve heard mixed reviews about Gankutsuou, namely the ‘love it or hate it’ art style - which has only intrigued me more so I’ll definitely check it out at some point.
@Mirrinus: I think it’s the heavy use of CG in LE that likens it to Square Enix’s FF efforts…oddly, it doesn’t look out of place. I still hold to my view that it’s the best-looking Gonzo series I’ve seen so far!
@Otaku Surf: there are some great figures from the series but I’d love to own a model vanship to take pride of place on top of my TV set. There’s an art book out there too, which must be worth the purchase.